Just saw Lucas after many many years...

2AM. Monday morning. I'm on the couch watching Lucas.

Where do I begin? How about some background. It was released in 1986. The world had just been introduced to Nintendo. The Bangles, Prince, INXS, Berlin, OMD, Stevie Nicks and Bon Jovi just to name a few of the other influences in pop culture. Not that everything hinges on that and I don't want to rathole this post.

The cast was a young one. Corey Haim, Kerri Greene, Charlie Sheen, Winona Ryder, and Jeremy Piven all starred here. The movie, in case you haven't seen it, is about a 14 year old nerdy kid (Corey Haim) who meets Maggie (Kerri Greene) and falls in love with her. He is driven by science and love and their correlation. It's funny, whatever makes him feel insecure he relates to superficiality - says, "thats superficial," "my parents are supeficial," "football players are superficial," etc. When school starts, she's the new girl and meets several people among them Cappie (Charlie Sheen) who plays for the school football team. Maggie and Cappie fall in love and Lucas is heartbroken and does whatever he can to impress her. After he understands they are together it no longer becomes about them too but about him proving himself to the school. So at a football game where the school is losing he goes out into the field after harrassing the coach.

This is the epic scene in the movie. He is left wide open near the goal. He catches the ball but drops it, there is a fumble, the opposing team takes the ball and he grabs on to the runningback for several yards. There is a tackle and he is severely wounded. The whole school is like OMGWTF and he is sent to the hospital. When he returns to school he finds a football jacket inside his locker and when he turns around everyone cheers him on. All the while everyone made fun of him, doubted him, and his devoutful moment of courage wins him a campus wide cheer in the middle of the hall way right in front of his locker. THE END.

Anyhow, I felt a responsiblity to post. The movie inspired me because I remembered what I felt like when i was that old. I remembered my own tribulations as a teenager and what great things I've experienced since. The scenery in the movie reminded me of my time in Gainesville, FL at UF. The train tracks. The importance of the football team. Driving in the middle of the night on dark roads. White people. Going to parties, etc. This also made me remember of times where I was more inspired in life than I am today - moments where I was actively pursuing higher education with a goal I could pride myself too. The moments I've found most inspiring is when I'm travelling. My first time in Boston was inspiring. Travelling to New York proved there would always be new goals. Seeing Spain showed me life can be simple and simplicities can also satisfy. Gallivanting in Italy showed me many beautiful things I never thought I would see, and in the presence of love simultaneously. Indulging in England showed me how great a musical experience can be, and how strong and precious certain relationships can be. So I guess you'd say I travel for education. My college graduation was good but lacked somethign and I can't put my finger on it right now... Today I am employed and feel that the volume of education that I'm receiving has narrowed. Not to say that I don't enjoy what I do, but that obviously there is a more stimulating and appealing life that I am not engaged in. I suppose this is a reminder to myself to keep breathing, mind my backbone, and never give up.

What's sad is that present day movies don't deliver the emotions films like these did. Granted they were different times and we were different people. Heck, I was 7 years old. Needless to say, I still think that an inspiring honest film is left to be desired within today's releases. I am hopeful however...

I should go to bed. This is becoming a rant. Anyway, this is also a feeling I haven' felt in years: waking up in the middle of the night and watching a movie to its entirety and being floored. I think the last movie I felt that with was House of Spirits. Anyway, goodnight.